1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to computer programs, and more particularly to updating a computer program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Customers and providers may have a number of requirements in installing or deploying an application program.
Customers may prefer to remotely install application program clients from a central server(s) in order to increase both installation productivity and maintenance productivity. Thin clients may be preferred as thin clients generally require less workstation customization, perhaps as little as a browser with the appropriate option settings and plugins. Preferably, users should be able to move between different workstations, and still be able to access their tools and data, another potential advantage of a thin client. A customer may prefer to control which application programs and which versions of the application programs are available to a particular user. In addition to controlling the application programs, a customer may wish to control access to resources and assets based upon a user's responsibilities and roles in an organization. Alternatively, the customer may wish to control and filter project work views based on the user's responsibilities and roles. In addition to such central control, the customer may want an inventory of the application programs (including versions) installed and used on a workstation or a group of workstations without the need to go to each user workstation.
An application program provider may also have a number of similar requirements in installing or deploying an application program. The provider may also want for licensing purposes the inventory of the application programs (including versions) installed and used on a workstation or a group of workstations without the need to go to each user workstation. To satisfy a customer's specific individual requirements, the provider would prefer a mechanism for configuring the application program to support a customer solution which may be tailored by the customer to suit the customers needs, such as role-based views.
Conventional systems and methods have failed to provide all of the above advantages. Thus, there is a clearly felt need for a method, system, article of manufacture, and computer program product for providing remote installation and deployment with these advantages.